Rachel is hitting a low point. It’s weird to say that, because Rachel has been low so, so many times before, but this might be the lowest yet. It’s not surprising that she’s hitting a low. Last week, the tension between her and Jeremy boiled over and ended in a shockingly violent moment in which Jeremy brutally struck Rachel and seemed ready to go for more before Chet, of all people, swooped in to save the day.

Rachel wants to call the police and press charges, but Chet insists this is a bad idea. Jeremy, he explains, knows “where the bodies are buried,” so this issue needs to stay “in the family.” It’s messed up. It’s a messed up response to a messed up (to say the very least) situation. At first, Rachel springs into action, in spite of Chet’s advice. She circles her many dark bruises and documents each and every one in a series of pictures on her phone. But, after that seemingly assertive act, she retreats into work, into manipulation for ratings, into her comfort zone: making great, terrible TV for Everlasting.

On Everlasting, it’s time for a hometown visit. Darius has to pick one girl to travel home with for a family meet and greet. Rachel wants him to go with Racist Beth Ann to Alabama. He, for a slew of obvious reasons, doesn’t want to. This is when Rachel absolutely loses it for the first time. Her freakout is so intense and so sincere that it convinces Darius to go to Alabama with Beth Ann for the hometown date. It feels like a win for Rachel, but is it?

Rachel is one of the most complicated, densely packed, and downright interesting characters on TV right now. She’s not likable, but she’s wildly empathetic. She’s brilliant but self-sabotaging. She seems to be genuinely good at heart, but it’s almost like she doesn’t want to be. And this week, in an episode expertly directed by star Shiri Appleby, she becomes more complicated and darker and twistier than ever.

Of course, just because Rachel’s response to Jeremy’s abusive outburst is complicated and important, that doesn’t mean that it’s satisfying. In spite of her early determination to report the crime, she spirals. She possibly goes off her meds (if an emotional conversation with Quinn about the incident is any indication). She deep dives into manipulating the storyline of Everlasting, convincing Beth Ann to disclose her surprise pregnancy (her ex, pre-Everlasting boyfriend is the father) to not just Darius and TV audiences but to her ultra-conservative family, as well. And when said disclosure ends in Beth Ann’s father pulling a rifle on the ex (and, inadvertently, Darius) and a tearful breakdown caught on camera, Rachel practically mauls Coleman, forcing kisses on him. She’s clearly not just happy about but turned on by the carnage she’s created.

This isn’t even the particularly dissatisfying part. That comes later, when she and Coleman make it back to set, and he — having just found out about the assault on the trip to Alabama — demands a meeting with Rachel, Quinn, and Chet immediately. Chet remains firm that he was right to tell Rachel not to call the police, and Quinn backs him up. This doesn’t look good for Quinn, I know, but it’s worth noting that this week is probably her most empathetic and likable yet. When she hears about the assault, it’s as if her feud with Rachel never happened. She calls her immediately, genuinely concerned. When that gets her nowhere, she calls Coleman and proves that she knows Rachel better than anyone, perfectly describing how she’s behaving even though they’re thousands of miles apart and making it clear that this behavior seems fine but is actually the precursor to a meltdown. Quinn cares about Rachel. Heck, she CARES. We always kind of knew that, in our hearts, but now we know it in the Confirmed Facts part of our brains as well.

But in the meeting, Quinn is still Team Don’t Call the Cops. And ultimately, Rachel sides with Quinn and Chet. She insists that she doesn’t want to press charges and even deletes the photos. She deletes her proof. And then she falls into bed with Coleman, because she’s Rachel, and when the world is crashing down around her, she falls into bed with someone, like that might actually drown out the crashing.

It sucks, to put it bluntly, to watch Rachel delete the photos. Sure, she might not have deleted all of them, and yeah, I’m sure there’s a way to retrieve them (technology, right?). But it’s the symbolism. It’s the symbolism of Rachel giving up and resigning herself to another mental health tailspin. And this is to speak nothing of the implications for other characters. Do we believe Jeremy (or at least Season 1 Jeremy) is really the kind of guy who would become violent? Do we believe that Quinn would really want to sweep that violence under the rug? Would Coleman really drop the whole thing so easily?

My take? No, Jeremy never really seemed the “type,” but maybe that’s the point. Maybe the point is that even people who don’t seem like the “type” to commit domestic violence can, because there’s no definitive “type” of person who is capable of violence against another human. And Quinn? Yes, I believe Quinn would sweep this under the rug, because as much as she loves Rachel, she still probably loves Everlasting more. And she’s the kind of person who believes in herself. She believes she’s taking care of it, that she’s making it right. And what about Coleman? Well, yeah I guess he would drop it all so easily. How well do we really know Coleman, anyway?

And while Rachel ends the episode using sex to run from her real problems, Quinn has called in another problem to keep things interesting. Threatened by Coleman and Rachel’s feelings for him, Quinn has set out to sabotage the relationship by bringing in another guy Rachel seemed head over heels in love with: Adam. Yes. Adam is back. I repeat, Adam is back. And now we wait.

Expression Of JoyThe Brady Bunch: Groovy! The Bradys: Ritual hugging Married…With Children: ”Oh, great.” Thirtysomething: ”Of course I’m happy for you. Really. But what about me? Why does it always have to be about you? The Flintstones: ”Yabba-dabba doo

Expression Of Rage

The Brady Bunch: ”Hmmm…” The Bradys: ”If you back away from something you really want, then you’re a quitter!” (the angriest any Brady has ever been) Married…With Children: ”Aaagh, God, take me from this miserable life!” Thirtysomething: ”I’m not angry, OK?” The Flintstones: ”Willllmaaaa!”

Typical ProblemThe Brady Bunch: Marcia and her rival both want to be the prom queen. The Bradys: Bobby gets paralyzed. Married…With Children: Al doesn’t buy his family Christmas presents. Thirtysomething: Nancy gets cancer. The Flintstones: Fred and Barney are staying out too late.

Typical SolutionThe Brady Bunch: The prom committee decides to have two queens. The Bradys: Bobby gets married. Married…With Children: They hate him. Thirtysomething: If only we knew… The Flintstones: Wilma and Betty decide to follow them.

Attitude Toward SexThe Brady Bunch: Never heard of it The Bradys: Omigod — even Cindy does it! Married…With Children: Peg: Yes. Al: No. Thirtysomething: They didn’t get all those kids by accident. The Flintstones: Prehistoric

How Spouses FightThe Brady Bunch: They don’t. The Bradys: Infrequently, but it happens Married…With Children: Tooth and nail Thirtysomething: They stop talking The Flintstones: Fred and Barney go bowling while Wilma and Betty max out their charge cards.

How Kids Get Into TroubleThe Brady Bunch: Greg takes a puff of a cigarette. The Bradys: Carol’s grandson steals her business cards and sticks them in the spokes of Bobby’s wheelchair. Married…With Children: By committing felonies Thirtysomething: Ethan plays with a forbidden toy rocket. The Flintstones: They don’t.

How They’re Punished

The Brady Bunch: ”It’s not what you did, honey — it’s that you couldn’t come to us.” The Bradys ”Next time, ask.” Married…With Children: By the authorities Thirtysomething: It blows up in his face. The Flintstones: They’re not.

What Family Does For FunThe Brady Bunch: Takes special three-part vacations to Hawaii and the Grand Canyon The Bradys: Has flashbacks Married…With Children: Exchanges insults Thirtysomething: Talks The Flintstones: Attends showings of The Monster at the Bedrock Drive-In

Unsolved MysteriesThe Brady Bunch: How exactly did Carol’s first husband and Mike’s first wife die? The Bradys: What’s with Marcia’s new face and Bobby’s blonde hair Married…With Children: What kind of hair spray does Peg use? Thirtysomething: Why did Nancy take Elliot back? What do Gary and Susanna see in each other? The Flintstones: How does Barney’s shirt stay on if he has no shoulders? Where do Fred and Wilma plug in their TV?

Worst BehaviorThe Brady Bunch: The Brady children once made Alice feel under-appreciated.

Best Reason To WatchThe Brady Bunch: This is what life should be. The Bradys: They’re all grown-ups now! Married…With Children: Terry Rakolta hates it. Thirtysomething (Tie) This is your life. This isn’t your life. The Flintstones: This is what life might have been.

Best Reason Not To WatchThe Brady Bunch: Blurred vision from rerun overdoses. The Bradys: You’re all grown-ups now. Married…With Children: She has a point. Thirtysomething: After a while, you think it’s real. The Flintstones: The Simpsons